Generation C: Connected Americans 18-34

According to Nielsen and NM Incite’s U.S. Digital Consumer Report, “Generation C,” is taking their personal connection with each other and content to new levels, new devices, and
new experiences like no other age group. Born between the launch of the VCR and the commercialization of the Internet, Americans 18-34 are redefining media consumption with their unique embrace of all
things digital.

Americans 18-34 make up 23% of the U.S. population, says the report, yet they represent an outsized portion of consumers:

Watching online video (27%)

Visiting social networking/blog sites (27%)

Owning tablets (33%)

Using a smartphone (39%)

Their ownership and use of connected devices makes this group them
incredibly unique consumers, representing both a challenge and opportunity for marketers and content providers alike. Generation C is engaging in new ways and there are more touch points for marketers
to reach them.

Visiters/Viewers Audience Composition (% of Category, U.S.
Audience)

TV Viewers

Online Video
Viewers

Social Net / Blog Visitors

Tablet Owners

SmartPhone Owners

Male

49%

47%

46%

53%

50%

Female

51

53

54

47

50

2-17

23

14

13

13-17

11

6

18-34

23

27

27

33

39

35-49

21

28

28

29

30

50-64

20

22

22

21

20

65+

14

10

9

7

6

Hispanic

16

12

12

15

17

White

73

78

79

60

61

Black, African American

13

11

10

11

12

Asian or Pacific Island

6

3

3

9

6

Source: Nielsen, February 2012

More information from the Nielsen U.S. Digital Consumer Report shows that Since 2000, the number of Americans with Internet access has more than doubled from 132.2 million
to 274 million, and online content is increasingly part of Americans’ entertainment fare. At the end of 2011, about one-third of consumers streamed long-form content such as a movie or TV show
from the Internet through a paid subscription service like Netflix or Hulu-Plus.

With 12 million unique video consumers streaming from Hulu and 6.2 million from Netflix in October 2011,
who’s watching Netflix and Hulu on home computers, asks the report:

Though 31% of Hulu’s audience falls into the 18-34 age range, more than a third of users are over the age
of 50. Netflix skews slightly younger, with 40% of users in the 18-34 age range and 17% over 50

Women make up the majority of users for both Netflix and Hulu, 57% and 59% respectively, and
they account for 64% of total time spent watching video content on Netflix and Hulu. This is particularly noteworthy, says the report, as women stream less online video overall than men

Both
services have an audience that is more than three-quarters white, with relatively even audience percentages for African-Americans and Asians. Hispanics are more likely to watch video on Netflix than
Hulu, making up 16% of Netflix’s audience compared to 11% for Hulu